PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication, Grisha Heyliger-Marten, has confirmed that the WestJet aircraft involved in Sunday’s incident at Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) will be moved at 2:30 a.m. on Monday, September 8, 2025.
The Minister, who spent the entire day at the airport assisting with logistics and engaging directly with passengers, emphasized that safety remained the top priority for all crews and agencies involved.
“I was on the tarmac throughout the day, monitoring the careful stabilization of the aircraft,” Minister Heyliger-Marten said. “At one point, all luggage remained on board because removing it prematurely could have caused the aircraft to tilt further. Once the crane was in position, the aircraft was carefully taxied to a safe area where the bags could be offloaded. Safety guided every decision.”
The Minister also described her visit to the departure hall, where passengers from WestJet flight 2277 were gathered. “We had to organize passengers into groups: those with passports and digital immigration declarations, and those without any form of ID. Babies needed food and diapers, and others required urgent medication. I immediately reached out to the Ministry of Justice to assist with the 14 passengers who had no identification, and to the Ministry of VSA to ensure doctors and pharmacies were on standby. Hotels were contacted to host passengers who had no credit cards or cash. It was about making sure no one was left unattended,” she explained.
By evening, most passengers had left the airport with vouchers for hotel, transportation, and food provided. Passengers who arrived on the WestJet flight were able to leave with their luggage and personal belongings. “The airport even assisted with hotel costs for passengers of other airlines, while conversations will take place with WestJet for reimbursement,” the Minister added.
The Minister noted that American Airlines and KLM flights were grounded while the runway was blocked and confirmed that PJIA will remain closed until 12:00 p.m. on Monday. WestJet representatives are expected to arrive on the island on Monday to provide further assistance.
Reflecting on the day’s events, Minister Heyliger-Marten acknowledged the challenges of handling an incident of this scale and stressed the importance of refining protocols:
“It was clear that more work needs to be done regarding protocols for situations like this. For most, this was the first real-world incident of this magnitude, not a drill. A full debriefing meeting with all stakeholders will take place so lessons are learned and improvements are made.”
According to international protocol, the WestJet flight crew has been required to undergo mandatory toxicology testing.
Minister Heyliger-Marten expressed her heartfelt gratitude:
“I want to sincerely thank the PJIAE staff and management, the PJIA Holding Company, Windward Roads, Airport Firefighters, taxi operators, hotel partners, and all who responded swiftly and with dedication today. Your training showed, and your teamwork made the difference in keeping passengers safe and supported. On behalf of the Government of St. Maarten, I thank you.”
The Minister will continue to update the public as new developments unfold.
